An Extract on Superyachts: Addressing Safety Culture and the Well-being of Yacht Crew

Glistening on the glossy surface of the superyacht industry, luxury, precision, and flawless service are lined as the gold standards. However, trotting below this opulent façade is an arena of importance that cannot be watered down - safety culture and crew well-being. Maritime safety already receives a good thrust from evolving technology and regulations, but the real game-changer resides in shifting from compliance to empathy. A fresh perspective that knits humans into the centre of safety and operational efficiency. Moreover, it’s not just textbook theory, as numerous high-profile incidents in the yacht community have hammered the need for microscopic focus on safety.

Waiting for tragedy to knock on the door before reacting to it isn’t the go-to safety strategy anymore. The next-gen approach is proactive, fuelled by data that has passed the test of the time. Several instances in history like Titanic, Herald of Free Enterprise, and the Torrey Canyon exemplify the grave cost of inaction.

Yet, it’s never too late to change the narrative. As a visionary, Lloyd’s Register (LR) is pioneering a novel path that establishes a new safety culture benchmark in the yachting industry. This foresight takes the form of a holistic safety culture survey, executed across seagoing yachts and their management firms. In an attempt to unravel areas of improvement, this initiative quantifies safety practices, providing key insights to strength the safety framework. But a solo player can’t rule the game, and industry participation becomes the heart of this operation.

The survey is an open invitation for yacht owners, crew members, operators, management corporations, to share their insights. An attempt to weave a safety culture that finds resonance with industry values while being robust. It is not a mere reactive step to increase safety standings, but a well-thought-out, united endeavour. The marathon to a safer, secure future begins at this very minute. The helm is in the hands of those who see beyond the horizon and change it for the better.